SALT LAKE CITY — The bill to help build a National Hockey League arena in downtown is now headed to the desk of Gov. Spencer Cox after passing in the Utah Senate early Friday.
Senate Bill 272 passed on a 22-4 vote, one day after skating through the House on a 50-20 vote. The bill is modified to create a "reinvestment zone" that allows Salt Lake City to hike sales taxes .5% to help pay for the billion dollar project.
The bill now includes language that has Salt Lake City leaders report to the Utah State Legislature on the project. Lawmakers were excited about the revitalization of that part of downtown. Rep. Val Peterson, R-Orem, said the idea is for a remodeled Delta Center that would house both the Utah Jazz and a future NHL team.
But the project is viewed by Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall and members of the city council as a potential economic boost. Utah Jazz owners Ryan and Ashley Smith are working to lure an NHL team to Salt Lake City.
“There's a lot of work ahead of us, and we’re thrilled to have this seminal opportunity to partner together to reimagine the downtown experience — to create a comprehensive, visionary plan that generates a vibrant, safe, and fully activated downtown," said Mendenhall, the Smith's and Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson in a statement Friday.
“This is a great day for all Utahns and we look forward to continued collaboration toward our goal of creating an unrivaled experience in downtown Salt Lake City.”
A separate bill is headed to Governor Spencer Cox's desk to create a special district across from the Utah State Fairpark for a potential Major League Baseball stadium. The Larry H. Miller Company has been working to lure an MLB expansion team. That project would be paid for in part by sales tax revenues from within the multi-billion dollar development that the Larry H. Miller Company has planned and the state of Utah would own the stadium.
Both bills have received widespread, bipartisan support in the legislature.
